The student, an unidentified 19-year-old man, did not sustain any injuries in the incident, which happened just before 7 p.m.

The man told officials he was practicing take-offs and landings in a Cessna Skyhawk when he went into the water shortly after landing on the runway, said Lt. Joel Granata, spokesman for St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue.

"He was able to get out of the plane on his own," Granata said.

Paramedics met the man at the seawall and checked the man out, who did not require a trip to the hospital.

The man told authorities it was only his second solo flight, Granata said.